Tie-plate.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. VVOODOOOK, OF BUFFALO, NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NIAGARA FORGED STEEL COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TIE-PLATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1906.

To (L7/ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WOOD- COOK, a subject of the King of England, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State Of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tie-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tie-plate for railways, and has the Object to produce a cheap and simple plate of this character which is effectually held in place on the tie, which cannot be easily bent out of shape, which avoids destruction of the fiber of the tie, and also prevents water from lodging in the tie-plate between the rail and the tie, so that rotting of the latter does not occur.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical transverse section of my improved tie-plate, showing the same combined with a rail-brace and applied to a rail and tie. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section in line 3 3, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

A represents the horizontal body of the tieplate, which is placed between the upper side of the tie B and the under side of the rail C.

The tie-plate is combined with a rail-brace, which preferably consists of a horizontal base d, resting On one end portion Of the tieplate and connected at its outer end with the corresponding end Of the tie-plate, while its inner end bears against the adjacent edge of the rail-base, an inclined strut e, connected at its lower end with the inner end of the bracebase and bearing at its upper end against the under side of the rail-head, and a web f,extending from the strut of the brace to the base Of the same and across the corner between these parts.

The rail-base and tie-plate are held in place by a spike G, driven into the tie and passing through coinciding openings h, formed in the brace-base and the adjacent end of the tie-plate and two spikes I I, driven into the tie and engaging with the rail-base and with notches y' j in opposite edges of the other end of the tie-plate.

At opposite longitudinal edges of the tieplate, which are parallel with the length of the tie, longitudinal flanges K K are bent downwardly at right angles to the plate, and each of these flanges is provided at its lower edge with a longitudinal row of spurs, teeth, Or serrations Z. Each of the latter is constructed of the same thickness transversely as the adjacent flange K, as shown in Fig. 3, and its opposite longitudinal sides are both inclined, as shown in Fig. 1. By this means the teeth and iianges may be driven into the tie until the tie-plate rests on the tie without destroying the continuity of the fibers in the tie, but merely compressing the fibers, so as to preserve the strength of the tie.

The longitudinal flanges not only stiffen and strengthen the tie-plate throughout its entire length, but also provide the stock from which the spurs are formed.

Inasinuch as the spurs extend the full length of the tie-plate, the maximum anchorage for the same is provided for retaining the same and the brace in position relatively to the rail, thus increasing the stability and safety of the same. Furthermore, by forming the anchoring-spurs at the sides of the tie-plate no recesses or pockets are formed in the plate between the tie and rail, in which water can lodge and rot the tie quickly.

My improved tie-plate can be economically and expeditiously constructed in one piece with the rail-brace out of a single sheet of steel and is superior in eiiiciency and durability to the devices for the same purpose heretofore in use.

I claim as my invention- A tie-plate provided at Opposite longitudinal edges with downwardly-projecting longitudinal flanges, and at the lower edge of each flange with a longitudinal row of anchoringspurs each of which is Of the same thickness transversely as the adjacent flange and has both its longitudinal sides inclined, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 29th day of June, 1906.

WILLIAM H. WOODCOCK.

Witnesses:

GEO. M. HOwE, Jr., IRENE L. GENOR. 

